Given name & surname · also French
Garland
“decorated with a wreath of flowers”·“one who is crowned”·“from the spear land”
Garland is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “decorated with a wreath of flowers”, “one who is crowned”, and “from the spear land”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “decorated with a wreath of flowers”, “one who is crowned”, and “from the spear land”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with French and English naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Garland through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 24,712
- 23,857 boys · 855 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 499 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #6,928 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −26%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,928 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 478 in 1922. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,805 as a first name in 2020; 24,966 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Garland’s family of names
Garland has a related form in Garlan. Garland has a related form in Garlin. Garland has a related form in Garlon.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Garland
- Hank CochranAmerican country musician (1935-2010)
- Garland JeffreysAmerican musicianborn 1943
- Garland WilsonAmerican musician (1909-1954)
- Garland E. AllenAmerican historian and biographer (born 1936)
- Garland O'ShieldsAmerican basketball player (1921-2001)
- Garland T. ByrdAmerican politician (1924-1997)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Garland, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Armand
“of the army; a soldier”
>99% boys
Garnett
“resembling the dark-red gem” · “one who wields a spear”
>99% boys
Garvin
“a friend with a spear”
>99% boys
Gaston
“a man from Gascony”
>99% boys
Millard
“the guardian of the mill”
>99% boys
Gardner
“one who works the earth” · “the keeper of the garden”
97% boys · 3% girls
Garner
“one who gathers or keeps grain”
83% boys · 17% girls
Richmond
“from the wealthy hill” · “a powerful protector”
>99% boys